Malastare1
by Luna
Summary: a mission on Malastare gets twisted..... Post TPM
1. One

Title:

Author: Daylon Terra

Date:

General Disclaimer: Daylon Terra is MINE, but everyone else belongs to Master Lucas and his minions. "I do not make a profit off this…bla bla bla…" Really, I don't. Do you think if I did, I'd still be a small-time Internet fan fiction author? There are some vague references to the JA series,…major spoilers, (like anyone hasn't seen the movie yet!) and little hints at things that never happened in Lucas' world.

Oh, and this is one of the Daylon-Obi-Wan Adventures, for more background read my other stories. Anakin is in it, but it really isn't about him at all, so… Takes place about one or two years post-TPM. _Italics without quotation marks indicate thought. **Asterisks with italics indicate force messages.**_

****  
Obi-Wan wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand and tried to re-connect the delicate wires of his lightsaber.

__

Just a little further, come on… 

There was a pop and a hiss and a very large spark, and the sound of Obi-Wan cursing.

The shock hadn't been that bad, it was just that on top of everything else that had gone wrong today…

First it was the burnt breakfast, then the tiring trek through the dense forest during which he had tripped over a tree root and fallen down a hill, followed by that unexpected downpour that had shorted out his lightsaber, the animal that had attacked him that he had had to run from because his lightsaber was not operational, being late for dinner, dinner being burnt again, trying to fix the stove and getting a pretty nasty shock, trying to fix his lightsaber and getting a few more shocks… 

I had been a bad day.

Hell, it had been a bad mission.

They were supposed to be watching an allegedly illegal and underhanded trade business. But they were on Malastare. Which meant that it was unbearably hot, wet, sticky and unpleasant. Obi-Wan hated the heat. He just wasn't used to it. Of course, Anakin was thriving. Being from Tatooine, his body literally craved heat.

Daylon wasn't faring too bad either. But Obi-Wan was in hell. 

He jumped as the lightsaber shocked him again. 

Maybe it was because everything was so wet, or maybe it was just his luck, but he was getting more than his fair share of electricity.

He decided to give it a rest, and come back to it in a few minutes. He went outside to check on Anakin. The boy was doing meditation exercises in front of the small cabin they had procured for their extended visit to Malastare.

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin used the force to pick up a small rock and make it do loops in the air. He set it back down after a minute.

"Good, Ani. You're doing a lot better." Obi-Wan said.

Anakin got up from where he was sitting and went over to where his master was standing. 

"Have you fixed your lightsaber yet?" he asked. Anakin was very fond of dueling.

"No, not yet."

"Awe, man. I wanted to work on my dueling."

"I know you did. I'll have it fixed by tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure."

"It's getting late, you need your rest. Why don't you call it a day?" Obi-Wan offered, sensing the boy's tiredness.

"Good night, master." Anakin said, running inside.

"Good night, padawan." Obi-Wan replied. He lingered for a few moments, watching the last rays of sunlight fall beneath the horizon between the trees. Then he went back inside, to finish work on his lightsaber. But it was already done. The wire part anyway. Anakin was always doing that. Fixing things without anyone asking him to, quickly and quietly, so that no one would know he had. Obi-Wan smiled to himself. The kid did have a knack for mechanics.

He assembled the last parts of the lightsaber and hooked it on his belt. Then, after checking to make sure Ani was safely in bed, he left the cabin and headed North. 

It took him thirty minutes to reach the large tree at the edge of the forest. From half way up, you could clearly see the hangar of the trade business, Myrtek, and watch the off loading of goods. They hoped to record evidence of Myrtek smuggling spice in from the outer rim. But they had had no luck so far. 

Obi-Wan knocked three times on the tree trunk, and Daylon leapt down from one of the branches fifty or so feet up. 

"Come to relieve me?" she asked. There were slight circles under her eyes. She had been watching the hangar since noon. It was just past midnight now. 

"Yes, I have. Anything?"

"Nothing," she said, handing him the electrobinoculars, "Good luck."

He muttered and started to climb the tree. Daylon headed South through the woods, and in thirty minutes she was at the cabin. She didn't even bother getting anything to eat, Anakin was on a burning streak anyway. Instead she collapsed on the sleep couch.

Obi-Wan watched the Myrtek hangar through the electrobinoculars. Nothing was happening. He leaned up against the tree trunk, trying futilely to make himself more comfortable. 

Even thought it was almost three in the morning now it was unbelievably hot. Looking out across the plain at the edge of the woods he could see a thick cloud of steam covering the ground. It was silent. There were few animals out at night, and the ones that were out were predators. They remained silent up until the point when they killed you. That was one of the reasons Obi-Wan had wanted to fix his saber before taking watch. The wild life was deadly.

Nothing was happening…There weren't even any transports in the hangar. Still, he couldn't fall asleep. So he tried to stay awake and hold out until morning. Yawning, he checked the time. _Only nine hours left…_

Suddenly, he jerked back into consciousness with a start. A large animal was making a strange noise, and it was only a few yards away. It started to come closer, and the odd growling noise grew in intensity. Obi-Wan ignited his saber and watched it. The thing lunged at him, screaming. It had large teeth and shaggy black fur. Before it could touch him, Obi-Wan had cut it in half. It fell to the ground, twitching. 

Obi-Wan stretched out with the force to sense if there were any more of the strange creatures lurking about. There weren't. Yawning, he let himself drift into a light sleep. 

The next time he awoke, the sun was rising. It was considerably cooler than the last morning, maybe it would be a nice day. But somehow, Obi-Wan doubted that. He picked up the electrobinoculars and checked on the Myrtek hangar. Nothing.

"Daylon. Daylon wake up. Master Daylon!" Ani called, shaking the Jedi's shoulders slightly in an effort to wake her up.

"Huh? Ani, what time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Eight almost. I made breakfast." Ani said eagerly. Daylon groaned. _No more burnt porridge, please_…

"Master Daylon?" Ani asked again. She had dozed off. 

"Ah, yes, I'm up," she said, effectively jumping off the sleep couch and waking herself up.

Ani gestured to the small table he had set. Two bowls of steaming porridge stared up at Daylon and she sighed. She really didn't like porridge, but Ani was so proud of his new cooking…ability, for lack of a better word, that she didn't want to hurt his feelings. So she ate it. After breakfast and a quick shower, she was ready to start the day. First thing was meditation. 

"Relax Ani, quiet your mind," Daylon said.

"I'm trying…"

"Don't try, do."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Be aware of your surroundings," Daylon said. She used the force to pick up a small wood chip, and send it flying at Ani's head. He reached up and caught it instinctively.

"Good, good. I think we've done enough for today," she said getting up, "How about some sparring practice?"

"Yeah!" Ani said enthusiastically. He ignited his training saber and waited for Daylon to do the same. The two fought for an hour. Ani was definitely getting better. He didn't quite have the strength behind his blows that he should, but tactically, he was excelling. He certainly wore Daylon out. She wasn't sure how much longer she and Obi-Wan could handle this. Surveillance at night, training during the day… at least she got to sleep a few hours in the morning, poor Obi-Wan was up all the time. He had graciously offered to take the difficult shift, and she had accepted without a second thought. Now though, the effects were starting to show on him. He was looking so tired. Maybe she would switch with him, give him a break. Or even better, she could help both of them by teaching Ani the finer points of culinary work. Then they wouldn't have to starve. 

She sighed. This wasn't the greatest mission. Nothing was happening, and she was beginning to think that they were wasting their time. They had been there for almost a month now, and that damn hangar had been almost completely abandoned. Aside from Ani's training, their time here had been most unproductive. If only they could catch a glimpse, just one, of someone off loading goods… especially someone who wasn't supposed to be there, trading goods that weren't supposed to be traded… then they would be done. With this part of the mission at least. Then they would have to track the guy down and arrest him. All they had to do was get the evidence and get out. Simple, right? 

__

Ha! Real simple: waiting around for a month…

She suddenly realized the time. She had to relieve Obi-Wan in a few minutes, and it took thirty to get there! She would be late. She told Ani that she would be going, and practically ran out the door.

"You made it." Obi-Wan said drowsily from the tree. 

"Yes, sorry I'm late." Daylon said, climbing up to the branch he was on and sitting next to him.

"It's all right."

"Did you have some trouble last night?" she asked, noticing the severed animal on the ground.

"No, not too much." Obi-Wan said.

__

God, Kenobi, you look like hell. Daylon thought, looking at him.

"Thanks," he muttered.

"You just need some sleep, that's all," she explained, "Listen, I've been thinking. Maybe you and I should switch shifts."

"Why?"

"Well, I watch from noon till midnight, and get to sleep until morning, but you watch from midnight to noon, and then you have to watch Ani the rest of the day. It hardly seems fair." Daylon said.

"It's okay, I don't mind." He said.

"No, I think you really need some sleep. I'll take this shift, and the next one, and then at noon tomorrow, you can start in. Okay?"

Sleep did sound good to him. "Okay," he agreed, "But at least let me keep watch until tonight, so that you don't have to stay here for twenty-four hours."

Daylon looked at him for a moment. She didn't want him out here if he was going to be too tired to defend himself from any attacking animals. She saw that he would be fine though, and she nodded. 

"Come back at ten?" he asked.

"Ten it is," she said jumping down from their perch, "Oh, and Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

The hours slogged by for Obi-Wan, and when Daylon came back at ten, he was quite relieved. He was too tired to say anything much to Daylon, other than the report of no activity, which had become standard.

"Go home and sleep Obi-Wan." She said.

"You don't have to tell me." Sleep had never sounded so enticing. He trudged home, his whole being exhausted. Ani was asleep. Being careful to be quiet, Obi-Wan crawled onto the sleep couch and allowed himself to relax. It had been a long day. He inhaled deeply. The sheets smelled sweet, like lavender flowers. He recognized the scent instantly. Daylon. Since only one of them used it at a time, they shared the spare bed. And she had slept in it the morning before. The last thing Obi-Wan remembered before falling asleep was the faint smell of lavender and the sound of the breeze outside.

Daylon leaned back against the trunk of the tree and looked out at the hangar. It was so desolate. It didn't seem as if anyone had ever been there. Maybe that's what made it so suspicious. A brand new hangar, in the middle of nowhere, almost completely abandoned. It didn't make sense. 

She thought about what Master Yoda had said at the beginning of the mission, before they had left Corascant: "See what others do not, you should. Mindful of your surroundings, you must be. Forget this, you should not." 

Daylon sighed. It was too dark, she couldn't see anything. She closed her eyes and looked with the force. Doing this was like seeing with night vision, or more like an infrared camera. She could sense other life forces this way, they appeared to her like auras of energy on a radar. She stretched out around her, sensing a few animals, birds, and large plants, but nothing out of the ordinary. 

"See what others do not…" the words repeated in her head. 

__

What others do not,…I can already see what others do not with the force, what more can I see? 

The answer came to her almost instantly. It wasn't about sight at all. It was about touch. Solidity. More specifically, the solidity of what appeared to be an empty hangar. 

Daylon grabbed her cloak from where she had flung it over a branch, and jumped to the ground. A field of high grass separated the forest from the building, which would make for good cover. She crouched low, and started towards the hangar. Halfway across the field she stopped dead in her tracks. There were detectors situated all around the compound, they would go off if disturbed. Daylon gathered the force and used it to lift her body a foot in the air, just high enough to clear the detectors, but not high enough to lose the security of the tall grass. She floated slowly towards the hangar bay. Once she was sure that there were no more detectors, she lowered herself to the ground. There were voices now, coming from inside, though the hangar appeared empty. _Appeared being the operative word, _Daylon thought. She moved closer. The voices became more clear.

"Over here, put that one near the door, that one goes to the capitol. Don't drop that! I oughtta blast you right here, you clod! Outta my way! Move it!" 

__

They seem friendly enough, she thought. _If only I could see…_

She reached out her hand to touch the wall, and to her surprise, her fingers went right through. _It must be a projection._ Where her skin met the projection a shimmering grid could be seen, and the surrounding area became transparent. She could see through that little space that there was a pile of crates in front of where she was. They were out of the way, in shadow, affording her a good viewpoint from which to observe, and also shielding her from anyone else's view. 

She pushed through the holo-wall and crouched behind the crates. Peering over, she could see dozens of people working cranes and lifts. They were removing the cargo of a large transport ship. The ship was unmarked and looked to be a normal transport. Past the loading ramp she could see panels being lifted off the floor, and more crates being brought up. _It must be a smuggler's ship. And pretty fast too, if Obi-Wan and I missed it docking. _

Daylon heard a man calling out numbers, and another directing the lifts. They were putting the crates on three different ground transports. One was going to the capitol, that much she knew. The other two were smaller, probably going to the next largest cities on the planet. 

"Hey, get that pile over there, put it on transport three, to go to Darogo." One man yelled. Dylon watched as the crane came closer to where she was. They were going to load her cover! She had to get out of there, fast. But she couldn't leave without something to prove the council's suspicions. She noticed a door at the far end of the hangar. If she could get there…

She grabbed on to the edge of the crate, and flattened herself against it, using the force to blend into the background of cargo. The pile lifted up, swung over the hangar floor, and lowered onto transport three. 

__

Transport three, to go to Darago, I've got to remember that.

Before the pile was secured, she jumped off the platform and behind the transport. She was close to the door now, only a few meters away. In a flicker, she was there. The door led to a large room that looked like an office of some sort. Computers lined the walls, and desks crowded the center. 

__

There's got to be a record somewhere in here, Daylon thought. She went straight to the desks in the middle of the room. There were papers scattered on top, and books and files in the drawers, but not much else. She tried the computers. Security computers, communication consoles, monitors, readouts…

Nothing.

A thought struck her. She went back to the security monitors. There was a view of the hangar, the room she was in, and one other room. She hadn't seen any other doors in the hangar, so the way to that other room had to be through this one. But there was only one door, the one she came in by. Computers blocked up the walls everywhere else, except one spot, where there was a shelf. She went there. Using the force, she tested to see if there was anything behind it. There was. Another room. She grabbed the edges and pulled. The shelf swung open to the left, revealing another office. This one only contained a desk. She closed the shelf door behind her and rummaged through the desk contents. Finally, she found what she was looking for. A data chip marked transactions. 

She grinned. _Obi-Wan will be glad to get off this planet, _she thought, putting the chip into her belt. 

Shouts from the other room brought her thoughts back to the present. She had to get out. Luckily, there was a window in the room, so exiting would be relatively simple. She opened the window and hopped out right before the voices entered the room. Daylon ran towards the woods, and then started back to the cabin. She backtracked and looped her trail to throw off any pursuers, and finally, sometime around two, she made it home. 

Obi-Wan and Ani were asleep, so she made an effort to be silent. She tossed her cloak over the back of a chair and removed her muddied boots. Taking the data chip out of her belt, she looked at it. _A whole month for this,_ she thought, turning it over in her hand. It hardly seemed worth it. She returned it to her belt and leaned back in the chair. Tomorrow they would leave Malastare. The thought appealed to her, and she smiled as she drifted off to sleep. 

The next morning, she awoke to the smell of breakfast. It smelled good, so she knew it was Obi-Wan. He wasn't the greatest cook, but it sure smelled better than what Ani made. She noticed that she was no longer slumped in a chair, she was on the sleep couch. Obi-Wan must have moved her. 

"I couldn't very well have you sleeping on a chair now, could I?" he called from the kitchen.

He was listening again. It was getting a bit annoying. She got up and went to the source of the problem.

"Obi-Wan," she started, but stopped mid-sentence. It would do no good anyway. 

"What?" he asked.

"What's for breakfast?"

"Porridge."

"Really,' she remarked. She never knew porridge could smell like anything but burnt bantha. But this porridge smelt good. Ani skipped into the kitchen.

"Good morning Obi-Wan. Good morning Daylon," he said and then asked, "wait, why are you both here?"

"That's what I want to know," Obi-Wan said glancing at Daylon.

"Our mission here is over," she said, going over to her belt and producing the chip, "I found this. I think it has all the information we need." She got the data pad and placed the chip in the receiver end. The data pad sparked to life, displaying in holographic form pages and pages of information; the documentation of the importation of the illegal spice.

"It's all here." She said proudly. Obi-Wan read the pages as they displayed in the air. 

"It comes from Yavin, imported here on the Millennium Falcon, arranged by… Maks Telo, one of the Malastare Senators," Obi-Wan read.

"But who authorized it? A senator cannot authorize an import, the order had to come from someone else, higher ranking." Daylon said, reading the output over Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"It doesn't say. But you're right, it has to be someone else. Though we do have enough information to arrest Telo, maybe we can get him to talk."

"No, as soon as Telo is arrested, the higher power will disappear. We'll never find out who it is."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Daylon? Wait for a few more thousand kilo's of this stuff to be imported, a thousand more people to die? There's no time for us to observe further, we have to arrest him." Obi-Wan said.

"Sure, we can arrest Telo. But Telo is just a middle man. If we just be patient, we can get the head of the organization and stop this permanently." Daylon said.

She had a point. Why settle for the fruit when you could have the whole tree? He nodded. But then a thought occurred to him. 

"Daylon, where did you get this data chip?"

"I told you, I found it." She said. If Obi-Wan found out that she had snuck into the hangar and stole it, he would be… upset. 

Obi-Wan said nothing in return, he just gave her a look that said "_we'll talk about this later."_

"So what do we do now?" Ani asked.

"We aren't sure yet, Ani. We will be leaving the jungle though." Daylon said.

"When?" he asked.

"Maybe in a day or so. Why don't you go outside, and get ready for a training session," Obi-Wan said. Ani rose and left the cabin, eager to start the day.

Obi-Wan glared at Daylon, and she glared back. He knew she had done something dangerous to get the chip, and he didn't like that. Daylon didn't like the fact that Obi-Wan still treated her like she was fifteen.

She held her ground and kept glaring, and Obi-Wan left to train Anakin.

After a while Daylon followed. Obi-Wan was trying to show Anakin the different types of combat, unsuccessfully. Daylon saw her chance.

"Here, let me help," she offered. "Ani, this is hand-to-hand combat, watch closely."

She removed her boots and readied herself. Facing Obi-Wan, she put her hands up and then bowed in a respectful gesture. He made the first move, a punch to the upper shoulder, which she blocked with little difficulty. He was now facing the wrong way, and she tried to kick his legs out from under him. He jumped and kicked at her in one fluid motion. Daylon grabbed his foot and pushed him backwards, but he didn't fall. She tried to get a solid kick in, but he dodged and returned with an equally powerful kick of his own, that barely missed her. She hung back and waited for him to make a move. Obi-Wan stepped forward and launched a series of quick upper body attacks. She managed to block most of them, but on the last hit, he moved forward again, grabbed her arm and shoulder and flipped her over his back. She saw the move coming and had a second to prepare her body for the impact, but she hit the ground hard nonetheless. It took her an instant to jump back to her feet. Obi-Wan was coming in fast again, this time with a kick. She jumped high into the air and flipped over his head. As soon as she landed she kicked at him. It hit his side, hard. Obi-Wan turned and tried to kick her again. She dodged. This time it was Obi-wan who waited. He backed up and smirked. Daylon hated to be the first to make a move. She saw it as giving the opponent time to react. She liked being in control. He was still smirking when she ran at him full force sending a strong blow to his shoulder. He pushed her back and tried another fast upper body attack. She blocked the first few, and seconds before the next one hit, she ducked low and put her shoulder into Obi-Wan's chest. This time he went flying over her shoulder. 

"Ha!" she cried. Taking advantage of Obi-Wan being on the ground, she prepared for her next attack. Fast kicks. She had always been able to defeat him with a series of tight, rapid fire, high kicks. He never could defend against them, and he couldn't do them himself, so he was at a serious disadvantage. She kicked once to his right, once to his left, another low to the left, and while he was in the air jumping from the low kick, she hit him high from the right. The momentum of her kick threw him to the ground.

"Are you ready to give up yet?" she asked. He jumped up.

"Never," he said, coming at her. She backed away towards a large tree, leading him. Obi-wan could see what she was trying to do. She was going to get close enough to the tree to use it as a vault. She would wait until he moved to attack, and she would jump up and rebound off the tree, landing behind him and getting the advantage. Obi-wan decided to beat her at her own game. Just before she was in position to jump, he feigned an attack and jumped over her head. Now his back was to the tree. Daylon tried to attack him and get her position back, but he used the tree and jumped over her head again at the last minute. Her back was to him, and he was in position to attack. _I stole your move,_ he thought with a grin. The way to win a hand to hand combat match was to strike your opponent in the head or neck. Or course, in a practice match, you would stop short of actually hitting the person, but that would be a "Killing Blow", and the match would end. Obi-Wan kicked at Daylon's head, preparing to stop before he hit her, but he didn't have to. She ducked and spun to kick him in the back of the leg. He fell face down, and she got up, putting her foot over the back of his neck. 

"I win, Kenobi. Match over." Daylon said, grinning.

Obi-Wan grumbled something and she let him up.

"That's how hand to hand combat is fought, Anakin," she said, "Isn't that right, Obi-Wan?"

"So you beat me. You don't have to rub it in my face," he said, not without a slight hint of amusement in his voice. Fighting like that could be fun. They used to fight all the time when they were padawans. Qui-Gon used to watch them, giving advise and tips as they went. 

"What other types of combat is there?" Ani asked.

"Not today, Ani. I think your master has had enough for one day." Daylon said.

"Don't pay any attention to her, she gets a bit cocky when she wins. It has an odd effect on her," Obi-Wan quipped. 

"It does not. By the way, you didn't 'steal my move'. That _was_ the move." She said walking away.

She planned the whole thing, he saw it now. She knew he wouldn't be able to resist taking the opportunity to get her like that, and he fell for it. _Damn._

That evening, after Ani had gone to bed, Obi-Wan decided to have a talk with Daylon about where she had gotten that data chip. But he couldn't find her. _She's probably outside, watching the moon rise. She likes to do that,_ he thought. He was right. Daylon was meditating in a small clearing behind the cabin. It reminded him of the temple gardens. There were always flower petals on the floor, and Daylon would use the force to make them fly around her while she meditated. She was doing the same thing now. Obi-Wan hated to disturb her, but he had to know where the chip had come from. 

'Daylon," he said. She didn't hear him. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Daylon?" he said, this time louder.

"Yes, Obi-Wan?" She let the petals float to the ground and got up. "What is it?"

"It's about the data chip. I want to know where you 'found' it." He said, trying his best to keep his composure. She was glaring at him again.

"What does it matter? We've got it now, that's all you need to know."

"No, it isn't." he said, more insistent.

She sighed. 

"Okay, Obi-Wan. Fine. I figured out that the empty hanger we were observing was just a holo-projection, covering up the real hangar. I went to get a closer look, I saw the spice being off loaded, and I figured that the information we needed had to be in there somewhere, so…"

"You went inside?" Obi-Wan interrupted, his tone slightly angry.

"Yes. I snuck past the guards, entered the back office, and found the chip. Then I escaped." 

"Daylon, I can't believe you did that. I mean, you would be the one to do something like that, but still… You put yourself in danger, and by doing that, you put the mission in danger. If you had just waited-"

"If I had just waited, we would have been here forever, watching an empty hangar." She said.

Obi-Wan sighed. She was right. 

"So what do we do now?" he asked.

"We go to Rentilla, Malastare's capital." Daylon said. She had obviously been thinking about it, because it seemed like she had a plan.

"To arrest Telo?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, not yet. First we get the name of his boss."

"That shouldn't be hard."

"Then, we get the evidence to indict him." She said.

"Ah, that could prove a challenge." 

"Maybe, maybe not." Daylon said. Obi-Wan didn't like her tone. She was up to something, he knew it. Daylon started back for the cabin. "It's getting late, Obi-Wan. We should get some rest. I want to start for Rentilla early." She called.

Obi-Wan sighed and followed her. 

To be continued….

Reviews please!


	2. Two

Title: Malastare2

Author: Luna

Date: 4-29-00

Reviews: Yes, please!

General Disclaimer: All belong to Lucas, except my characters – Daylon Terra and the rest… suggest you read part one first for background info and more disclaimers. Now, Part two….

(One day later, in Rentilla)

"Obi-Wan, do you think that we could go see a pod race while we're here? Please?" Anakin begged. He could hear the whine of engines coming from the coliseum nearby.

"Maybe. After the mission," Obi-Wan said. They had just arrived in the capitol city, in disguise under the insistence of Daylon. She had thought that it would be better if the government didn't know of their investigation. "People could disappear," she said.

Now they were wandering through the street market, looking for lodging.

"I have a friend here, maybe she can help us," Daylon said, leading the other two through the crowd. Obi-Wan never liked crowds. They made him nervous. Qui-Gon had always liked being around people though. He said that it brought him closer to the living force. Apparently it was something he had instilled in Daylon, because she was at ease among the mobs of people. She was so like him, sometimes it was painful for Obi-Wan. Being with her was like having Qui-Gon with him in a way. Comforting yet poignant memories flooded his mind. If only his master were here…

"Obi-Wan?" Daylon asked.

"Yes?" he replied, his voice escaping him momentarily.

"I've been calling you, but you didn't answer me. Is there something wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"No, nothing. Continue."

"This is Sari, Sari, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi. And this is his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker." Daylon introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sari," Obi-Wan said, bowing. Anakin did the same.

"You said you needed a place to stay, Daylon?" Sari asked.

"Yes, could you help us?"

"Of course, you can stay with me as long as you like," Sari said kindly. "It's just me, so I have a lot of extra space." She said, leading them up a flight of stairs and to an apartment. 

"Now, I only have one extra bed, so two of you will have to sleep on the floor, is that okay?"

"Sure," Daylon said.

"And you'll be in your own for lunch and dinner. I work most of the day."

"No problem. Just one thing,"

"Anything, you just name it."

"Let me take you to dinner tonight. To say thanks, and catch up. What do you say?" Daylon asked.

"I say… sure. I get off work kind of late though,"

"It's okay. I'll meet you at Renardi's, say around nine?"

"That sounds great. Right now though, I've gotta go to work. Bye!" Sari called as she left.

"She's very nice, letting us stay in her house and all," Ani said. 

"Yes, she is. And she's a good friend of mine, so I want you to show her some of that exemplary Jedi charm and manner, okay?" Daylon asked with a grin.

"Okay." Ani shrugged. 

"Well, we've found a place to stay, what's next on your plan Daylon?" Obi-Wan asked. 

"Nothing, for today. I've got ten hours until my dinner appointment, why don't we show Ani around?"

"Shouldn't we be concentrating on the mission? Doing research, asking questions?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I told you, there's nothing we can do today. You must be patient, Obi-Wan." She said, quoting the words so often spoken to him throughout his training. He huffed in indignation.

"Can we see a pod race?" Anakin asked hopefully.

Daylon looked to Obi-Wan. As much as she tested his patience, she would never overstep any boundaries by making decisions concerning Ani without his approval. He nodded.

"Yipee!" Ani cried, jumping up and clapping his hands. "Can we go now?"

"Yes, Ani. Lead the way." Daylon said. She smiled. Seeing Ani so happy made her happy too. And that, in turn, made Obi-Wan happy as well. Which was a rare occurrence. 

So off to the pod races they went.

(That evening, nine o'clock)

Daylon entered the crowded restaurant and looked around while she waited to be seated. The last time she had come here was when she was a padawan. She and her master had been on a long-term mission in Rentilla, and it was during this time that she had met Sari. They used to meet at Renardi's at least once a week, and have a night on the town. That all seemed so long ago now. So much had changed. While looking around, she noticed a sign that said 'seat yourself'. _I guess more has changed than I thought._

She made her way to the back of the restaurant, where she spotted an empty table with two chairs. 

She took the seat facing the door, so that she could get Sari's attention when she came in.

Over in the corner a band played soft music, but Daylon could barely hear it over the din of people talking.

"Sari!" she called when she saw her friend enter. Sari saw her waving, and pushed her way to the table. 

"Crowded tonight, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah," Daylon said. "How was work?"

"Fine. But I could use a drink," She said, flagging down a waiter. "Do you want anything?"

"Sure,"

"What?"

"Surprise me." Daylon said.

Sari ordered their drinks and turned her chair to face Daylon. "So, how is life as a Jedi knight?" she asked.

"Exhausting. But you know I love it." 

"Yes, but I never understood why," Sari said. "So, do you have a padawan yet?"

"No, Not yet. But I'm helping Obi-Wan with Ani, and that's pretty much the same thing."

"Obi-Wan… he's cute. Are you two, you know, seeing each other?" Sari asked with a sly grin.

"Sari! He's my best friend! Gods no!" Daylon laughed.

"Are you sure, because if I were in your place, it would be pretty hard _not_ to see him._ Rrrrrow._" She growled.

"I am very sure," Daylon said, still laughing. Sari always had this idea that Daylon 'needed a man', and she would play matchmaker every chance she got. Before Sari could say anything else though, their drinks arrived. Two glasses of sweet Rankari wine.

"So, what are you and the handsome Jedi doing here in Rentilla?" Sari asked.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. We're on a mission, and I need your help." Daylon said, taking a sip of the potent green liquid.

"You need _my_ help? What in the worlds could I possibly do that you cant?" Sari asked incredulously.

"I need a job." Daylon said.

"A job?"

"Yes."

"What sort of job?"

"Well, it doesn't really matter, as long as it gets me into the higher circles of the government." Daylon said. "You're going undercover?" Sari asked.

"Right. That's why I came to you. You're inside the loop. I was thinking that maybe you could get me a job doing what you do… anything really that would give me access to senators, viceroys, maybe the chancellor even."

"Well, there is a spot open, and you'd certainly have access, but… are you sure you want to do this? My job can be, a little degrading sometimes." Sari said. 

"I don't mind." Daylon said.

"Okay. There's a big ball tomorrow night, I can probably get you in." Sari sighed.

"Thanks Sari, you're the best," Daylon said. Now everything would fall into place…

(The next day, 6 o'clock)

Sari entered the apartment in a rush. 

"Daylon," she called. Daylon looked up from the data pad she was reading.

"Did it work?" she asked.

"Everything's set. We need to be there at eight. You know what you're doing, right?" Sari asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Sari. Now don't worry about me. You've done you're part, now I'll take it from here, okay?" Daylon said, sensing Sari's anxiety.

"Okay. Oh! You'll need something to wear… you can borrow one of my dresses, let me see…" Sari said, her voice fading as she went to her bedroom. That was just like Sari. The world could be ending, and she would be worried about what to wear.

"What do you need a dress for?" Obi-Wan asked.

"You're back from the races, how was it?" Daylon asked. She had made them go, much to the disapproval of Obi-Wan. 

"Fine. What do you need a dress for?" he asked again, sitting down on a sofa across from Daylon.

"Sari invited me to the Government Ball." Daylon said. Obi-Wan perked up.

"You're going undercover, alone?" he asked.

"With Sari. And I'm not going to do anything, just… observation." Daylon said.

Obi-Wan huffed. _Yeah, sure._ "I'm going with you. It's too dangerous." He said.

"You can't." she said.

"Why not?"

"You weren't invited."

"I'll say you invited me."

"You can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not invited!"

"Then how are you going to get in?"

"I'm working there." Daylon said.

"Working? As what?"

"A waitress," she said. That wasn't entirely true though. She would be working as a call girl. Serving drinks, dancing, and flirting maybe, but that was it. Still, it would get her the access she needed.

"You're going undercover at a Government Ball as a waitress, and you need a dress? Don't the waitresses have uniforms?" Obi-Wan asked. He could sense that she wasn't telling him the whole story, but she was blocking him from finding out anything else.

"Look, they said I need a dress, so I'm going to wear a dress, okay Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan didn't say anything. Daylon got up and went into Sari's room to find something to wear. 

"Ani, why don't you get some sleep, you had an exciting day." Obi-Wan said. Anakin nodded.

"Goodnight Obi-Wan," he said.

"Goodnight, my padawan." Obi-Wan replied. He didn't move for a long time. All he could do was think. Think about how he knew that Daylon was going to do something completely irresponsible, dangerous, and spontaneous. How she was going to put herself in jeopardy for the sake of the mission… How she was going to do the same thing Qui-Gon would have done. Obi-Wan remembered the dread, the anxiety he had felt every time his master had done something like this. He had hated it. And he hated it now.

"Oh, this one will be perfect on you," Sari said holding up the dress to Daylon. 

"It is pretty." Daylon said.

"Put it on then. You can change in the bathroom if you want." Sari said.

Daylon did as was instructed. When she came out, Sari was already dressed in a short blue dress. She was in the process of putting her red hair in a bun. 

"You look nice," Daylon said. She felt very out of place in the dress. It had been so long since she had worn anything but her Jedi robes. Sari turned from the mirror, done with her hair and makeup.

"Daylon, that dress is the one," Sari said.

"Really? It looks okay?"

"Better than okay. Come here, I'll do your hair and makeup. I know just what to do…"

A few minutes later, Sari was done. 

"Perfect," she said. "You're gonna knock 'em dead." 

"Thanks Sari." Daylon said. She had gotten over the weird feeling of not wearing pants, and was now feeling confident that her plan would work. 

"Well, what are you waiting for, lets go show Obi!" Sari said. Daylon just rolled her eyes. Obi-Wan would probably not approve. _So what?_ She thought, _It doesn't matter whether he approves or not, I'm still going to this ball._

Obi-Wan was still musing when Sari came out of the room.

"Come on, don't be shy," Sari called. 

A muffled "I'm coming" came from the room. The door opened and Daylon stepped out. Obi-Wan's breath caught in his chest. Standing before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen: his best friend. Her strapless dress was an iridescent green, and it shimmered when she moved. A slit up the side of the flowing skirt revealed a long graceful leg. She was sparkling. Glitter adorned her arms, shoulders, and cheeks. It was also scattered in her golden brown hair, which hung half way down her back in thick ringlets. It occurred to him that he had never seen her with her hair down. He had never even seen her wear anything but her Jedi robes. Gods, what had he been missing?

"Obi-Wan?" her voice interrupted his thoughts, "Well? Do I look my part?"

"You look… Stunning," he stammered.

She smiled, obviously pleased that he approved. "Thank you."

Sari grinned. She was enjoying the awkward silence between the two.

"We should be going," Sari said.

"You're right," Daylon agreed.

"Wait, Daylon, I need to talk with you before you go," Obi-Wan said quietly.

"I'll wait for you outside," Sari said. 

"Daylon, this could be dangerous. What if things go wrong?" he asked.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She said. "Besides, my saber is in here," she explained, patting a small handbag. 

"What about a comlink? In case-"

"I don't need a comlink! I'm not a child, Obi-Wan. I'd appreciate it if you stopped treating me like one." She said tersely.

"I'm just trying to help," he said, his tone matching hers.

"Well I don't need your help. Goodnight." She said, leaving.

Obi-Wan sighed to himself. If Anakin didn't drive him insane, Daylon certainly would. He was sure of it.

Sari and Daylon took a transport to the Grand Capital Building, in the center of Rentilla. 

"You know what to do, right? Because I can't stay with you the whole time," Sari started.

"I can handle it, don't worry," Daylon assured her, as the two presented their employee passes at the door.

The party was being held in a large room. It was quite impressive; marble floors and carved ceilings, large statues displaying figures of historical significance… very bureaucratic. Daylon and Sari agreed to split up.

"Good luck," Sari said, heading off towards the right side of the room.

"Hopefully, I won't need it." Daylon replied. She looked around the room, using the force to observe her surroundings. As she opened herself to the living force, she felt a dark ripple. It made her shiver. Something wasn't right. She tried to follow the source of darkness to it's source, but whoever it was walled themselves immediately. 

__

Well, if I can sense them, then they will be able to sense me… 

She disguised her force-sensitivity. It meant that she couldn't use the force to find her suspect, but also that he wouldn't be able to find her. That was good. She walked over to a group of men, playing her part to the fullest. If she couldn't use the force to get her way, well, she would have to use her other assets. 

"Hello there," one of the men greeted her. He was a tall Rodian, ugly as hell, and already a bit intoxicated.

"Good evening." She said.

"My name is Bin Sarga, I am a senator in the Malastare council. Who might you be?" he asked.

Daylon put on a seductive tone. "My name is Dana," she said.

"Dana, you look lovely."

She nodded. She had a feeling that this man could help her in her search.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked.

"Yes, I would,"

Bin got two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. Daylon feigned a sip; drinking would only hinder her tonight. But Bin downed his glass, and grabbed a second. _Someone's a bit of a drinker, isn't he?_ No matter. It would help her get what she wanted without the use of the force. She waited until the alcohol had taken effect.

"Don't you have any friends, Bin?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Tons of them."

"Are they here?"

"Yeah. Some of them."

"Can you introduce me to them?"

"Why? I kinda like having you all to myself, Dana,"

__

Oh, gods, he's trying to be suave. It doesn't come off well.

"Well, I would really like to meet your friends, Bin."

He looked at her for a moment, grinning like an idiot. Finally, he nodded, and led her to a small group of men by the bar.

"Hey, guys, I'd like you to meet Dana," He said, "Dana, this is Rex Bil, Figi Nor, Lanpurani Gillsum, and Maks Telo." He motioned to the men, putting faces with names. Daylon perked up when she heard the name Telo. He was a short, middle aged human. He had weasel-like disposition, and rubbed his hands together every few seconds. Just like she had pictured. She immediately ducked out from under Bin's arm, and stood beside Telo. 

"Hi," she said.

"Hello. Dana." He added her name like an afterthought. He was obviously anxious about something.

"You look tense, would you like me to get you a drink?" she asked.

"No, thank you."

"Are you sure?" she almost purred.

"Well,… maybe just one."

__

Good,… "What would you like?"

"I, I don't know." He stammered.

"I'll decide for you," she said, sauntering over to the bartender. She ordered a Sullust Rum, one of the strongest drinks available. She needed Telo good and drunk.

She returned to his side and handed him the drink. He must have been more tense than she thought, because he drank it very quickly.

"Feeling better?" Daylon asked.

"Yes, thank you." He said. He wasn't being too helpful, Daylon would have to pry answers out of him.

"So, is your boss here?"

"Yes, actually."

"Where?"

"Over there," he said, pointing to an equally meek-looking man at the far side of the room.

"Oh. What's his name?" she asked. _This is getting quite annoying…_

"Barun Wulh. He's a chancellor on the council." Telo said, his words starting to slur.

Daylon ventured a quick reach with the force. The vague sense of darkness was still there, but it was not coming from Wulh. It seemed to be radiating from a man to the left of Wulh, but he had his back to her, and she couldn't see his face. 

"Excuse me, Telos, but I must be going now." She said, leaving him with his glass of rum. She made her way towards the man with the dark aura, pushing through the crowd. But when she reached the spot, he was nowhere to be seen. She talked for a moment to Chancellor Wulh, but could get no answers from him.

__

He is obviously being controlled, by a force user. It must be that man…

But the man had disappeared. She made circuits around the room, stretching out with the force to try to locate him, but he was gone. She finally gave up, deciding that it would do her no good to broadcast her force-sensitivity and give away her identity. _I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way…_ she thought, taking a dance partner. After about a dozen dances, she was beginning to wish that the mysterious man would show up. She was also wishing that Obi-Wan was there. 

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan couldn't sleep. His mind just wouldn't be quiet. The few moments of fitful rest he did get were haunted with disquieting visions. He saw Daylon, like she looked right before she left, in that dress. He could see her at the party, talking to various people… then a man came, dressed in all black, and Daylon followed him. Then there was a darkness, a void… and then he woke up. After that, it was all he could do to keep relatively still. He paced the room, musing silently to himself. 

__

'This isn't right. _You should be there with her.'_

But she would kill me if I went!

'What if she needs your help?'

No, she was right, she is older now, she doesn't want or need my protection. 

'But you still want to protect her, nonetheless.' 

She can handle this.

'Can she?'

He sighed as his two consciences battled.

__

What would Qui-Gon do? He asked himself.

It was nearing midnight. Daylon still hadn't caught sight of the dark man. She was worried that he had left, that she wouldn't find him, that the party would end and everyone would go home and she'd be left with…

Nothing. She wouldn't have anything. No name, no evidence, nothing. Obi-Wan would probably laugh at her. _No, he would never do that, _She thought, _Not out loud, at least. _Besides, she was going to get the name of that man, no matter what. 

Lost in her thought, she almost missed the glimpse of a dark cloak vanishing into a doorway. _It's him!_ She cried mentally, following quickly, determined not to lose him this time. She pushed her way to the doorway, and found herself in a long hall. _The living-quarters for the council._

She started down the dark passage, using years of training and discipline to mute her steps across the marble floor. She used the force to 'see' around her. The man was still shielding, and remarkably well. _He must be trained in the ways of the force. _

She was just about to pass the eighth doorway, when a staunch-looking man called to her from the end of the hall.   
"This way, miss." He said, and disappeared into a large door. _This is getting a little odd,_ Daylon thought, clutching the small purse that contained her 'saber. She had a feeling she was going to need it. As she walked down the hall, she calmed herself, and focused her thoughts. She could feel the force flowing through her, comforting her. She stepped into the room at the end of the hall. It was a large bed-chamber, richly decorated and obviously meant for someone important. The illumination was almost all the way down in the room. Daylon noticed an Illumination Control Pad by the door, and called out "Illumination, up 60%". This way, she could see better, without losing some of her cover. She stood in the center of the room. That sense of darkness was back now, stronger.

"Very clever. I must say, you did surprise me."

The source of the darkness stepped out of the shadows. He was very tall, with dark hair to his shoulders, and dressed in all black. His eyes held a hint of amusement, darkened by pure evil. On his cheek, a white scar stood out on his dark skin. A broken circle.

To be continued….


	3. Three

Title: Malastare3

Author: Luna

Date: 5-13-00

Reviews: Yes, yes, yes!

General disclaimer: see part one and two…

***

"Xanatos." She said. Xanatos had been a former pupil of Qui-Gon's, who had fallen to the dark side. He had a deep hatred for all Jedi, especially Qui-Gon, and had tried on numerous occasions to bring about his demise. She had met Xanatos only once- when she was temporarily apprenticed to Qui-Gon herself. But once was more than enough. She shuddered at the memory of their last encounter.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him. He acted as though he didn't hear her, and continued.

"I'm surprised you recognized me. I barely recognized you. You've changed so much, grown up." He said wickedly, gazing over her. "I'm glad you're here though." He grinned, and took a few steps towards Daylon. 

"Maybe you didn't hear me. I asked what you are doing here. Answer me." She said. 

"No need to be angry about it. Anger leads to hate, right? And we all know where hate leads. Do you hate me, Daylon?" he asked.

"No, I do not." She said, clearly.

"Are you sure? Don't lie to me. I can see it in you. Hatred. Deep, pure. Come on, admit it." He goaded her.

"I never hated you."

"Not even after what I did to you?"

She took a deep breath. "No."

"That wasn't enough?" he asked. He still had that damn grin on his face. "Because I can make you hate me, Daylon," he said, close to her now. "I can. And I will."

She couldn't say anything. White hot rage nearly blinded her. She tried to breathe, tried to center herself, but it just wasn't working. _There is no emotion, only peace…_ she recited the Jedi code in her head.

"Oh, like that's going to work. Come on, I know you've got your lightsaber with you. Take a swing. Kill me. Gut me like a fish. Make me pay." He said. His grin had evolved into a smirk. 

"Come on, Angel-"

"Don't call me that!" Daylon said tersely.

"What? Angel?"

She took another deep breath, and another. _He's just trying to make you angry, don't let him. _

"Xanatos, I will ask you one more time. What are you doing here?" she asked, calm now.

"You already know, don't you?" 

She had formulated an idea the moment she had seen him. He was going to disable the Malastare government somehow, so that he could freely import and sell his spice. He would make a fortune off the drugs, and destroy a planet with one move. Xanatos always did like double motives.

"That's right, and now you make it triple." He said, turning his back to her and picking up a candy from a dish on the bed. She could have killed him right then and there, but it wasn't the Jedi way. She would be giving in to her anger, fear, and frustration. She would be no better than him. 

"You are a double motive yourself, actually. Killing you will bring me great satisfaction, and Obi-Wan great grief. Which, in turn, will give me great satisfaction. So, you see, your appearance, unexpected as it was, is an asset."

"And how exactly do you plan to bring the government under control? Misuse of the force?" she asked.

"No, no. That would be difficult, and tiresome. I'll just take them hostage." He said smugly. 

"When? It's past one in the morning. Half the members have gone home by now."

"No, they're still here. I had the building surrounded long ago. You should have known this, Daylon. What, did Qui-Gon never get around to teaching you to be aware of your surroundings?"

Her jaw clenched involuntarily.

"That isn't important right now. What's important is you. I want to see your hate. Show me." He said. He stepped closer and touched the side of her face. "That's a very pretty dress you have on. You look,… exquisite. Did anyone tell you that? Obi-Wan, perhaps?" 

Daylon recoiled at his touch.

"What's the matter? Am I making you uncomfortable?" he said, getting even closer. "Good."

Daylon had just about had enough of this. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out how she could stop Xanatos. She didn't doubt that he had the place surrounded. But his followers were held by fear, and fear alone, and once he fell, they would fall as well. All she need to do was get Xanatos. But that would prove difficult. She took a step back. He followed her, staying very close, and placing one hand on her thigh. She was almost paralyzed with fear now. 

"Remember what I did to you?" he asked. "I can make you hate me."

"No," she said. It came out more of a choked whisper than a declaration. 

"You don't sound very confident. Did I take your confidence as well?"

"No." She said it stronger this time.

"Are you sure?" he asked, kissing her neck. She shuddered, and tried to push him away. He held on to her.

"You couldn't escape me last time, what makes you think it will work this time?" he asked. She continued to struggle in his grasp. He was bigger than she was, stronger. But she couldn't let it happen again. She had to get away. She used the force to pick up the candy dish and send it flying at his head, but he stopped it in mid flight and let it crash to the ground. 

"You're so beautiful when you're angry." The words were cold, disgusting. They were spoken with malice and dark pleasure. They made Daylon feel awful. She wasn't in control. Her mind panicked. She had to get away, had to escape. It couldn't happen again, it just couldn't! Memories came back to her; nightmares, waking up screaming, feeling like it had been her fault for letting it happen. _Not this time._

She wrenched one arm free and struck him in the jaw. It hardly had any effect.

"Is that how you want to play?" he asked, moving to hit her back. She used his strike to her advantage. When he swung at her, he became off-balance for a split-second, as the momentum of his arm changed. At this precise second, she kicked at his legs, and he fell backwards. She summoned her light saber to her hand, and ignited it.

"You can't beat me, you know this." He said, igniting his own saber. "I am stronger than you are."

"We'll see," she said, moving into a ready stance. Xanatos lunged at her, trying to hit her side, but she deflected it and pushed him back. He came again, this time with a high target. Daylon stepped back, easily avoiding his clumsy blow. _Is that all you've got, Xanatos?_ She thought. 

"Far from it," he muttered before striking again. Their sabers clashed, and they were brought face to face. Xanatos' yellow blade sparked against Daylon's silvery one, brightly illuminating the room. With a cry of anguish, Daylon pushed him away with all her strength. He staggered back, grinning maliciously. 

"It's so much better when you struggle. Like last time."

"No, not like last time. Never again, Xanatos." She said, parrying a quick set of blows. He was on the offensive, backing her to the right, and then leaping over her shoulder. He had changed direction, and was now backing her towards the bed. He was manipulating the battle. Daylon saw this, and waited until she was a step away from the bed. Xanatos swung low, and she jumped high. High enough to flip backwards across the bed, so that she was standing on the far side. He was forced to follow her, giving his thoughts to movement rather than attack. Daylon took this to her advantage, and forced him on the defensive. She was striking at him now, but she couldn't hold up for much longer. He was blocking and deflecting too easily. She hit him with all her strength, and it didn't move him. He was right. He was stronger than she was. She would just have to beat him tactically and technically. She was more agile than he was, and faster. If she could lure him to an area that provided enough space for her to maneuver, she would have a chance. She fell into a defensive position, and started backing towards a door at the far side of the room. Xanatos kept hitting, harder than ever, and Daylon kept blocking. He was striking so hard that she could feel the shock of the blows travel up her arms. She kept retreating, leading him towards the door. He was still hitting hard. Daylon thought that maybe if he kept it up, he would tire himself, and they would be equaled. But when they finally reached the door, he was not showing any signs of fatigue. Daylon used the force to open the door, and proceeded to back through it. 

"I know what you're doing, and it won't work," he said. "You've just taken the path to the gardens."

__

The gardens… she thought. She remembered something Qui-Gon had once told her: "Fighting is not always the best way, my child." She reflected on these words now. _If I can get far enough away, I might be able to find a place to hide for a while, gather my thoughts, think of a plan… _she decided to try to put some distance between her and Xanatos. When she felt the cool night air, she knew that they were outside, and took her chance. There were no lights in the garden, so she had the cover of night. She took a few steps back, until she was in the dark, and he was still in the lit hall. Then she made her move, leaping backwards into a flip, once, twice, three times… and she was gone. On the last jump, she had grabbed onto a tree branch, and pulled herself up. Quieting her rapid breathing, she took in her surroundings. A large, lush garden filled the courtyard. It almost reminded her of the temple gardens. But these gardens were oppressively enclosed, affording her no escape. She could hear Xanatos' footsteps on the moss-covered ground.

"Stop shielding from me, Angel." He said menacingly. He was getting closer, and she would be forced to make a move soon. The glow of Xanatos' yellow lightsaber alerted her of his position. Just a few meters away… if she could get behind him…

She stood on the thick branch, bent over to avoid the foliage, and began to walk towards the end. She was right over him now. _Just a little further…_ She leapt down behind him, ready to attack. As she ignited her saber and swung at him, he turned… and vanished. Before her mind had time to question, her instincts made her turn around to block the blow directed towards her head. Xanatos had projected an image of himself to distract and lure her, and had snuck up behind her. They fought now, she just barely defending herself, and he going for the kill. The grin on his face made her shudder inwardly. It was if someone was drilling into her very bone marrow. It set her teeth on edge. He was enjoying this… enjoying seeing her struggle with her emotions, enjoying seeing her tire physically… and he would enjoy watching her die if she didn't do something soon. He lunged at her from a sharp angle and barely missed. His saber burnt her dress. She realized that she was in trouble. 

**_Obi-Wan! I need you! Help me, please!**_

To be continued…


	4. Four

Title: Malastare4

Author: Luna

Date: 5-21-00

Reviews: YES! Please! I need to know how I am doing! Tell me!

General disclaimer: see 1,2,&3….

***

Obi-Wan Kenobi sat at the table, his chin resting in his hand. It was late, and Anakin had long since gone to sleep. He got up and peered into the room his padawan occupied. The boy was curled up on a bed, obviously in a deep slumber. He looked peaceful, and so much younger than he really was. Obi-Wan gazed at him, his apprentice, his responsibility. Now he knew how Qui-Gon must have felt. A master's duty was not a light one. But he had come to accept it, welcome it even. Being a master was like being a father, and a teacher all at once. Love and discipline meshed together into one large complicated knot. At moments, Obi-Wan would want to indulge Anakin, let him be a boy, let him enjoy the little things so delightful to a child, but he knew that indulgence was dangerous, and would not prepare him for the hard life of a Jedi. He wanted nothing more than to see Anakin succeed; he feared nothing more than failure. Not Anakin's failure, but his own. If he failed… he would not fail. How could he? Anakin was so special, so gifted, he was destined for greatness. _Greatness… on the light side, or the dark?_ Obi-Wan shook that thought from his head. It would do him no good to think negatively. But that was exactly what he had been doing all night. Thinking negatively, worrying, pacing, mumbling incoherent complaints under his breath… But what could he do? He greatly disagreed with Daylon. She shouldn't have gone alone, he knew that. Immediately after she left he had felt an intense ripple in the force, accompanied by what sounded like laughter. But Obi-Wan had discounted that. He never could trust his ears anymore – he was constantly hearing voices. Sometimes it was Qui-Gon's voice, imparting advice and comfort that only he could give. Other times it was the wisdom of Master Yoda echoing in his ears. But there were many voices… He had asked Master Yoda about the matter, and he had said that they were the voices of ancient Jedi. By using the temple records, Obi-Wan had been able to match the many voices to names… all except one. That one voice was not the voice of a Jedi. It was dark, heavy. It was the one voice he ignored and rejected, the voice he had just heard.

He tried to push those thoughts out of his mind, and concentrate on getting some rest, but it was futile. He paced relentlessly. The anxiety that he had felt when Daylon left returned now, full force. It knotted in the pit of his stomach, and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. _I should go there. Just to make sure she's all right._ He couldn't do that, though. So he settled for the next best thing. Picking up his comlink, he pressed the button to signal her. He heard a soft beeping from the other room, and followed the sound to Daylon's utility belt, slung over a chair. On it was her comlink, reporting Obi-Wan's call. He sighed deeply, frustrated to no end. _I'll just have to wait. Patience. _He returned to the sitting room, and slumped in a plush chair, closing his eyes. 

**_Obi-Wan! I need you! Please, help me!**_

His eyes flew open, and he jumped up. He thought he had heard Daylon, but he wasn't sure… _It was just a manifestation of your anxieties, providing you with what you wanted to hear…_ The message repeated, and this time he was sure. He grabbed his belt and saber from where they had been previously discarded, and rushed out the door. 

Daylon backed away from Xanatos, trying to buy some time and space. He was still coming after her ferociously. _If he keeps this up, I won't be able to defend myself much longer!_

She closed her eyes, gathering the force. Xanatos laughed at her. "You Jedi are such fools! You fight with your eyes closed, and hope that the force will show you the way, but all you really do is blind yourselves to the attack." He sneered. Daylon ignored his taunts, and concentrated. Her body was tired, weakening. It had no fuel to run on, she hadn't eaten in a long while. But none of that mattered. All she needed was the force. She could feel it in her, flowing through her and around her. It spoke to her, telling her where to move, and what to do. She wasn't tired anymore. She opened her eyes, and they shone with fire. Xanatos saw this, and was startled. He had thought that she was on the verge of collapse; but now she was fighting strong. Daylon noticed his surprise, and hit him hard. He stumbled back, unsure now of what to do. But that soon passed. Daylon tried to remember what she knew about Xanatos, from what Qui-Gon had told her, and what she had learned from personal experience. "_Xanatos will never give up. His is a quest fueled by vengeance, hatred, and greed. He is a master planner, always with an escape route, and a backup plan." _Qui-Gon's words came to her. She thought about what Xanatos had hoped to accomplish on Malastare. Most likely to take over the planet, and use it as a quarry for his mining company, Offworld. But Xanatos liked double motives if he could get them. He had hated Qui-Gon, and wanted him dead. But Qui-Gon was gone. Now, all that he had left to ruin was Qui-Gon's name, or… _or his apprentice. _She drew in her breath in a sharp gasp. Xanatos had known they were on Malastare, and he had let them succeed in getting that chip, so that they would come to Rentilla, and walk right in to his trap. He wanted Obi-Wan. It was all too obvious to her now. It had been too easy! She should have seen it before. Now Xanatos would have Malastare, Obi-Wan, herself, and… Anakin. If he got near Anakin, it would be the end. Xanatos would surely recognize the power he had, and turn him to the darkside. _All the more reason to keep trying… I will not give up, and I will not fail. I can't. The fate of the galaxy could depend on it._

She channeled her anxiety into concentrated energy, and used it to fuel her attack. She swung at him with deadly force and precision. All conscious thoughts left her, even the thoughts of the battle. It was just her and the force, moving as one.

Obi-Wan jumped out of the air transport and rushed to the building. To his surprise, all the lights were out, and it was alarmingly quiet. Like the building, the force around it was dark and filled with rage. He could also sense a great amount of fear. He snuck up to a large window and peered inside. There were a lot of people inside, but they weren't moving. Obi-Wan soon saw the reason why. Surrounding the crowd was a battalion of droids, armed and ready to fire if anyone moved. _I'm going to have to sneak in…_he thought, as his fingers brushed his lightsaber at his side. _If only I had a little help… _

**_It's Xanatos, Obi-Wan. He's in the garden, on the NorthWest side of the building. He's waiting for you, be careful.**_

Obi-Wan received Daylon's message clearly, and heeded it's warning. Xanatos… he hadn't heard that name in a long time. Not since he was a padawan. He started to make his way around the hall, but hesitated. 

**_Help the hostages**_ He sighed. She needed his help, obviously, but she was right, the hostages needed him more. She would have to try and hold out. _If he hurts her…_ He picked up a good-sized rock, and threw it at a far window. The glass shattered onto the marble floor with a tremendous crash. The guards were alarmed, and went to check the area, which drew them away from the innocents. Obi-Wan made his move. He persuaded a guard to open the door from the inside, and let him in. He then rendered the guard unconscious by making him sleep. No need for violence. Though, it wasn't so much from his disdain for unnecessary maneuvers as from his distraction. He wanted to get to Daylon. That voice in his head had been right: He wanted to protect her. He remembered when they had been students at the temple. Bruck Chun had challenged Daylon to an unofficial, unfair fight. He was bigger, stronger, older, and more experienced than she was, but she still accepted. He had her pinned after ten minutes. But instead of letting her up, he touched the tip of his saber to her cheek, leaving a large crimson mark. It was a cruel act. The mark would stay there for over a week, and would serve as a painful reminder of failure. It had brought Daylon much shame and anguish. It had made Obi-Wan furious. That evening, he had tracked Bruck down, and expressed to him exactly how he felt about the matter. In other words, he had picked a fight. It got him in trouble, but it had been worth it. It vindicated her somehow. 

He was now sneaking around one of the pillars in the ballroom, force-manipulating every guard he came to. There were only about four left now. But he was becoming impatient. So he casually walked up to the prisoners and said, "You are free to go now. Leave quickly, and quietly." He disposed of the four remaining guards in an orderly fashion, and hurried to the back of the building. There he saw the trail of the battle. He started to follow, but Daylon warned him again. **_Circle around and flank him if you can.**_

Obi-Wan obeyed. He saw the garden, and he saw Xanatos. Moving to the left, he ducked behind a large plant, and did his best to observe which way the fight was going. Actually, there wasn't much physical fighting at all. Xanatos was torturing her mentally, wearing her down.

"Give up. You know how this will end," he sneered, "Just like the last time."

Daylon said nothing, just kept parrying his blows. She could not look at his face though. 

"What did you do after I left you, tied to that tree? Did you cry? Scream? It doesn't matter. All I cared about was seeing the look on Qui-Gon Jinn's face when he and his padawan found you there, tortured, abused, and nearly dead. I must admit, I did a good job with you. The hurt you inflicted on Qui-Gon…"

"The hurt _you_ inflicted." Daylon said. It was barely above a whisper, but Obi-Wan heard it clearly. Those words betrayed all the anger Daylon felt. She had good reason. Xanatos had nearly killed her, not to mention all the mental scars he had left. 

"When you attacked me, you made one mistake." 

"Oh yeah? What was that?" he asked arrogantly. Xanatos would _never _admit to making an error.

"You forced me to see my weakness, to confront it. And only by confronting weakness, can one learn to overcome it," she said, quoting an old Jedi proverb, "I overcame, Xanatos. I am stronger now, wiser. And you will not defeat me." She said calmly. 

Xanatos yelled in rage. "I will! I will defeat you! I will rip your body to shreds, and leave it on the front steps of the Jedi Temple for all to see! No one defeats Xanatos! No one!"

Obi-Wan decided that this was the best time to step in to help Daylon. He crept out from behind the bush and swung at Xanatos' back. He blocked, and whirled around to face his new opponent.

"Ah, young Knight Kenobi. I was wondering when you'd show up." 

Obi-Wan clenched his jaw in reply, and tried to find a weak spot in Xanatos' defense. Daylon was busy on the other side, doing the same. He could see the panic in Xanatos' eyes now. He was looking for an escape. Obi-Wan was determined not to let him get away. Not after all that he had done. 

He lunged at Xanatos' side, fighting crisply and efficiently. Daylon followed suite. They fought in perfect rhythm, each knowing the precise timing of the other's movement. They fought as a team. It was an experience like no other, one Obi-Wan hadn't felt since Qui-Gon died. One he had sorely missed. Obi-Wan faked left, and Daylon struck from the right. Xanatos managed to block, but was off balance. Obi-Wan moved for a killing blow, but Xanatos jumped up and over Daylon's head, an unexpected move. Before she had a chance to react, Xanatos swung out with his saber. It glanced her side, creating a large gash in her dress. She stumbled back a bit, but kept fighting. But she was losing strength fast. Obi-Wan saw this and compensated, attacking fast. But with one of them falling back, Xanatos had an exit. He turned and ran towards the far garden wall. Obi-Wan started after him. Daylon was only a step behind. She saw Xanatos reach the wall and scale it with ease. As he reached the top her turned and laughed. It only took a split-second for her to see. There was a bomb. Obi-Wan was only a few meters away now. 

"Obi-Wan! There's a bomb!" she screamed. He stopped abruptly and turned with a look of confusion on his face that was quickly overshadowed by the glow of a huge explosion that knocked him off his feet and threw him back. Daylon ducked her head as debris rushed past with an intense wave of heat. As soon as it subsided she started running towards where Obi-Wan lay. Thick smoke filled the air, and she could hear him coughing. _Thank the Force he's alive…_

"Obi-Wan?" she said kneeling down beside him. He rolled over onto his back and coughed once more. 

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Me? You're the one who got blown up! That is so like you Obi-Wan."

He grinned, and coughed. The smoke was starting to clear, and Daylon could see a cut on his forehead that was already starting to bleed significantly. 

"Daylon, your dress is in tatters." He said dazedly.

"Mmhmm, and I think you hit your head. You should probably see a medic."

"Nonsense, I'm fine," he said, trying to get up. She gently pushed him down.

"Let me up. I… where did Xanatos go?"

"He's gone, Obi-Wan."

"What? No! He got away?" he asked. He was having a hard time focusing his eyes, and his head was pounding.

"Yes, but it's all right."

"No, it's not!" he said, pushing Daylon's hand away and standing up. Dizziness overcame him though, and he fell back down.

"Just, stay here! You're in no condition to go chasing after him when he's already long gone."

He sighed, "I suppose you're right," he said. It was impossible for his eyes to focus now, and he felt really tired all of a sudden. Daylon had pulled him half into her lap, and was trying to comfort him. 

"I'm going to close my eyes now," he said.

"Go ahead, I'll be right here."

He closed his eyes and drifted off.

__

Epilogue-

As soon as things on Malastare had been wrapped up, the two Jedi and their apprentice had been sent straight to Naboo, on a courtesy mission. Of course, Anakin had been thrilled to see Queen Amidala again. And Obi-Wan was glad to have some relatively free time. He was still recovering from a major concussion, and the frustration of losing the chance to stop Xanatos once and for all. As terrible as the whole ordeal had been, some good had still come of it. It had made Obi-Wan realize just what was important to him.

Standing in the doorway of the lush guest quarters in the Theed Palace, Obi-Wan watched as Daylon, sitting in the middle of an overly-soft bed, taught Anakin a meditation technique. He knew now that he would give his life to protect either one of them from harm. His padawan, and his friend. 

__

Finis.


	5. Five

Title: Malastare5

Author: Luna

Date: 6-5-00

Rating: NR

Disclaimer: None….

****

FEED-BACK IS VITAL!!!!!

Okay, I have a question for all you people who have read my story. 

Do you like the whole platonic relationship thing, or would you rather see it get physical? I have no clue what to do so tell me! I need your opinion!

Help, please…….

I know you will. 'Cause you're all human beings, and all human beings have opinions, right? Come on, I know you do. You have something to say, so say it all ready! And if your comment has nothing to do with the 'platonic-or-romantic' question, that's okay! I like **all** feedback. So go ahead already. 

Why are you still reading?

****

TYPE!

Thanks, 

Luna… 


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